I now Iook slimer but I still weigh allot

Tanie98
Tanie98 Posts: 675 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I started at 150 and I am down to 145 .Iam 5'3 .I have been working out for 3 months before I found mfp but I wasn't watching my calories.I lost a little bit on my own and i stalled and stopped losing then I found mfp.Now I look slimer but the scale says I only lost 5 pounds .I even had few people at work saying I look slimer.however, my goal is 120 pounds and I was wondering when to stop if I keep getting slimer without the scale moving. I was thinking maybe when I can fit into my jeans again.i dont want to get skinny and look sick.anyone had the same issue?

Replies

  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
    If you are losing inches then you are making progress. Why focus on the scale? That weight won't guarantee that you will fit into the clothes you want. The more inches you lose however (no matter what weight the scale says) will get you into smaller clothes. Inches lost = smaller clothes

    scale weight going down....well that can be any number of things:
    :heart: Weight – So many things can affect weight, because of this it shouldn’t be the only way you track your progress. Things to keep in mind:
    :drinker: Always use the same scale – Different scales can show different weights. You will get the most accurate number for tracking when using the same scale.
    :drinker: Don’t move the scale – Carpet, uneven flooring, different types of flooring…can all affect the weight on the scale. So when you weigh, you want it to be approximately the same spot for the most accurate number for tracking.
    :drinker: 3500 calories – To gain 1lb of fat you need to be over maintenance by 3500 calories.
    :drinker: Muscle Repair – Muscles will hold onto water to repair, because of this it is not uncommon to see a gain for a little while after a workout. This weight comes right back off when they are done repairing.
    :drinker: Sodium – Can cause you to retain water. This can also be amplified if you don’t drink enough to flush it out of your system. This is also another reason for temporary weight gain.
    :drinker: Water – Not drinking enough water can actually cause you to retain water. Recommended amount is 8 cups or 64oz. I drink 64 oz to 128 oz of water a day. It doesn’t have to be plain water either. I like to flavor mine with crystal light or tea.
    :drinker: Time of day – Your weight can fluctuate throughout the day. So for the most accurate tracking, you want to weigh at around the same time.
    :drinker: Frequency – This is up to you, but if small fluctuations bother you than only weigh once a week or less.
    :drinker: Lightest Weight – Will be naked, first thing in the morning, after using the bathroom
    :drinker: Multiple times a Day – Don’t Do It. As I said before, your weight will fluctuate throughout the day. What you eat, what you’re wearing, ect will all affect weight.
    :drinker: Clothes – If you weigh with clothing on, keep in mind that the scale will show your weight plus the weight of your clothes. (Jeans are heavy)
    :drinker: TOM - A lot of women will retain water around their TOM, but its just temporary and will go away.
  • Jim_Barteck
    Jim_Barteck Posts: 274 Member
    Stop looking at the scale to gauge your progress. Use your tape measure and your mirror.

    If you're adding muscle while losing weight, the scale won't move. Depending on your workout regimen, it may even move UP. An athletic, fit woman can weigh 20+ pounds more than a naturally skinny woman even though they fit into the same clothes.

    What counts is how you look and how you feel. If you're losing inches in the right places and you're getting compliments then you're clearly on the right track.
  • QuietBloom
    QuietBloom Posts: 5,413 Member
    Looking slimmer is likely due to the fact that you have activated your core muscles through working out. This is a great thing!
  • earthboundmisfit
    earthboundmisfit Posts: 192 Member
    Are you doing strength training? That's probably why you look slimmer. Muscle weighs more than fat and takes up less space. You're probably gaining muscle and losing fat. I suggest you take your measurements, it's not just the number on the scale that's important.
  • scode83
    scode83 Posts: 42
    Getting slimmer but not losing weight...you're showing off, aren't you? This is the physique equivalent of having your cake and eating it, and not gaining any weight from said cake.

    If you're not actually showing off and are just a novice at this, as others have pointed out if your measurements are decreasing that's all that matters.
  • QuietBloom
    QuietBloom Posts: 5,413 Member
    Are you doing strength training? That's probably why you look slimmer. Muscle weighs more than fat and takes up less space. You're probably gaining muscle and losing fat. I suggest you take your measurements, it's not just the number on the scale that's important.

    She is not going to gain more than 1 or 2 lbs of muscle while in a calorie deficit. Gaining muscle is actually incredibly hard - ask any of these guys and gals doing bulk and cut cycles to gain even 1 or 2 lbs of muscle each time.
  • MKEgal
    MKEgal Posts: 3,250 Member
    I started at 150 and I am down to 145. I am 5'3 ... I look slimer [sic] but the scale says I only lost 5 pounds. I even had few people at work saying I look slimer [sic]. However, my goal is 120 pounds
    I agree with what others are saying about measuring inches, because you might very well be losing fluffy fat & gaining sleek muscle and that's why you look slimmer but have lost little weight.
    I was wondering when to stop if I keep getting slimer [sic] without the scale moving. I was thinking maybe when I can fit into my jeans again. I don't want to get skinny and look sick
    According to BMI, at 5'3" you should be between 105 & 135, so 120 is a reasonable goal.
    Maybe for now aim for 135 and see how you feel & look when you get there, then see if you want to lose any more.
    Here's a BMI chart: http://www.shapeup.org/bmi/bmi6.pdf





    .
  • Tanie98
    Tanie98 Posts: 675 Member
    If you are losing inches then you are making progress. Why focus on the scale? That weight won't guarantee that you will fit into the clothes you want. The more inches you lose however (no matter what weight the scale says) will get you into smaller clothes. Inches lost = smaller clothes

    scale weight going down....well that can be any number of things:
    :heart: Weight – So many things can affect weight, because of this it shouldn’t be the only way you track your progress. Things to keep in mind:
    :drinker: Always use the same scale – Different scales can show different weights. You will get the most accurate number for tracking when using the same scale.
    :drinker: Don’t move the scale – Carpet, uneven flooring, different types of flooring…can all affect the weight on the scale. So when you weigh, you want it to be approximately the same spot for the most accurate number for tracking.
    :drinker: 3500 calories – To gain 1lb of fat you need to be over maintenance by 3500 calories.
    :drinker: Muscle Repair – Muscles will hold onto water to repair, because of this it is not uncommon to see a gain for a little while after a workout. This weight comes right back off when they are done repairing.
    :drinker: Sodium – Can cause you to retain water. This can also be amplified if you don’t drink enough to flush it out of your system. This is also another reason for temporary weight gain.
    :drinker: Water – Not drinking enough water can actually cause you to retain water. Recommended amount is 8 cups or 64oz. I drink 64 oz to 128 oz of water a day. It doesn’t have to be plain water either. I like to flavor mine with crystal light or tea.
    :drinker: Time of day – Your weight can fluctuate throughout the day. So for the most accurate tracking, you want to weigh at around the same time.
    :drinker: Frequency – This is up to you, but if small fluctuations bother you than only weigh once a week or less.
    :drinker: Lightest Weight – Will be naked, first thing in the morning, after using the bathroom
    :drinker: Multiple times a Day – Don’t Do It. As I said before, your weight will fluctuate throughout the day. What you eat, what you’re wearing, ect will all affect weight.
    :drinker: Clothes – If you weigh with clothing on, keep in mind that the scale will show your weight plus the weight of your clothes. (Jeans are heavy)
    :drinker: TOM - A lot of women will retain water around their TOM, but its just temporary and will go away.


    wow thank you
  • yusineddy
    yusineddy Posts: 457 Member
    bump because I need to be reminded of this from time to time!
  • Tanie98
    Tanie98 Posts: 675 Member
    I started at the gym with resistance training and some cardio about 7 months before discovering MFP. I wasn't paying any attention to my food either. I lost 5 inches off my hips before I even lost 15 pounds on the scale. Now that I'm using MFP and eating at a deficit, the pounds are coming off. You sound like you're right on track to me. I'm 5' 4" and for normal BMI, I need to get to 149. I'm already a size 8 at 162 pounds, so I don't think I'll make it to 149 or I'll feel too small. You need to lose until you feel healthy and you look great to yourself. The numbers on the scale are just guidelines. Everyone is different.

    great.:drinker:
  • 1stplace4health
    1stplace4health Posts: 523 Member
    The scale will eventually catch up. The type of calories your protein & nutrients are coming from really matter too.Stay lean & green.
  • Madame_Goldbricker
    Madame_Goldbricker Posts: 1,625 Member
    I think body shape & proportion make a difference too. I'm pear shaped so the weight stays on my hips,thighs,bum region till last. The weight has come of my face, shoulder, stomach, lower leg region pretty fast though.

    If I was apple shaped my loss probably would have taken longer to show as my stomach would still look bigger - esp in profile pic comparison.

    Its rarely all about the scales so many other factors come into play too.
  • RHachicho
    RHachicho Posts: 1,115 Member
    Are you doing strength training? That's probably why you look slimmer. Muscle weighs more than fat and takes up less space. You're probably gaining muscle and losing fat. I suggest you take your measurements, it's not just the number on the scale that's important.

    She is not going to gain more than 1 or 2 lbs of muscle while in a calorie deficit. Gaining muscle is actually incredibly hard - ask any of these guys and gals doing bulk and cut cycles to gain even 1 or 2 lbs of muscle each time.

    Well that's not completely true. A male new to lifting on a perfect bulk/cut rotation could gain 20lb+ of muscle in his first year. Basically the more muscle you have the less the body wants to grow it. If she has a large frame then her genetic potential for muscle growth is likely high too. I'm not saying she put on tonnes but she may have gained significantly. Especially if the muscles where atrophied before. Atrophied muscles recover to normal size even in a deficit with very little stimulus. As long as you get enough protein.

    At least that's what i experienced. My triceps where totally atrophied and I couldn't even do a single push up when i started. But my pt put me on a regime that forced them to grow and even though I was losing loads of weight for a little while the muscle seems to grow week by week I would feel around and it would totally be bigger. Then it hit a nominal size and stopped growing :)
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    Are you doing strength training? That's probably why you look slimmer. Muscle weighs more than fat and takes up less space. You're probably gaining muscle and losing fat. I suggest you take your measurements, it's not just the number on the scale that's important.

    She is not going to gain more than 1 or 2 lbs of muscle while in a calorie deficit. Gaining muscle is actually incredibly hard - ask any of these guys and gals doing bulk and cut cycles to gain even 1 or 2 lbs of muscle each time.

    Well that's not completely true. A male new to lifting on a perfect bulk/cut rotation could gain 20lb+ of muscle in his first year. Basically the more muscle you have the less the body wants to grow it. If she has a large frame then her genetic potential for muscle growth is likely high too. I'm not saying she put on tonnes but she may have gained significantly. Especially if the muscles where atrophied before. Atrophied muscles recover to normal size even in a deficit with very little stimulus. As long as you get enough protein.

    At least that's what i experienced. My triceps where totally atrophied and I couldn't even do a single push up when i started. But my pt put me on a regime that forced them to grow and even though I was losing loads of weight for a little while the muscle seems to grow week by week I would feel around and it would totally be bigger. Then it hit a nominal size and stopped growing :)

    Op is not male. And she is not on a bulk cycle. 20lbs of muscle a year is is about 1.6 lb per month.
  • drunkbambi
    drunkbambi Posts: 26 Member
    i'm 5'3 as well and i'm at 129 lbs now. i've been 98lbs though (due to hyperthyroidism) and i didn't look sick until i dropped to 112lbs. so i wouldn't go lower than that if your gonna use me as a guideline. Definitely think that you weighing 120 and yet losing some inches will be okay. you'll still have quite a way to go to look sick. hope i helped

    ps. i'm pear shaped and at 125 (which was my norm for years before my thyroid went mental) i had a waist of 26", hips was around 36", and i fit into a size small.

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